Pressure relieving joint for building construction



Feb. 26, 1935. P. MAs'rL-:RsoN 1,992,756

v PRESSURE RELIEVING JvOINT FORw'BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed 0G19. 3, 1934 Patented Feb. 26, 1935 PATENT OFFICE p PRESSURE RELIEVING JOINT FOR :BUILDING lCONSTRUCTION Peter Masterson, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 3,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in compressible fillers heretofore employed to avoid the effects of excessive compression lstresses in the exterior facing vmaterial-of buildings-such as stone -or terra cotta, which stresses frequently 'cause cracking or de'facing of such material. lSometimes, for example, terra cotta tilesforming the exterior surfaces -of buildings, and yoften having `only moderate crushing strengtnare so stressed by crushing forces later set up in the main 'structure of the building, that corners or whole `faces of tiles are cracked or wholly broken away, and the exterior surface be thus permanently darnaged.

These results have been avoided to a large degree by the use of compressible fillers inserted between adjacent layers of stone vor tile at suitable intervals, as broadly disclosed in Patent No. 1,552,392 issued on September 1, 1925, to John P. Cowing. The present invention is directed more particularly to an Aimprovement in the form of compressible llers disclosed in said patent so as to include in their construction `a novel mastic sealing material, whereby a lmore permanent weatherproof, watertight joint may be providedin a simple, inexpensive and efficient manner.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, 'in which Fig. 'l is a vertical transverse section of aportion of building wall to which the device of my invention 'is applied.

Fig. 2 is ,a perspective view, drawn on a much larger scale than Fig. 1, showing a portion of a ller piece constructed 'in accordance with my invention as it may -be .applied to a building wall.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modiiied form of filler piece.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section illustrating one method of original application of a filler piece of the type shown in Fig. 2 between two blocks such as shown in the structure illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the nia-nner in which the superimposed stresses have caused distortion or flattening of the filler piece, but maintaining a weatherproof -joint between said blocks.

The illustrative structure shown in Fig. l comprises a main wall 5 cf concrete or other material and an outer facing 6 made up of blocks '7, 7 such as terra cotta tile. As usual, tie bolts 8 and 9 are anchored in the main wall at vertical intervals, and carry shelf angles l0, l1 each presenting a horizontal ledge which supports each superimposed tier of tiles.

The several layers of tile may be secured to- `1934, Serial No. 746,697

gether, as usual, by mortar indicated at 15, excepting that at certain intervals, and preferably at least once between Veach adjacent pair of shelf angles, a row of compressible filter strips 20, A20 `is interposed in end-to-end relation between abutting tiers of tile blocks, in the usual arrangement. These ller pieces may, for instance, vbe disposed directly above a shelf angle, as shown at the top of Fig. 1,'or they may be interposed between in -termediate tiers of tile, as shown near the bottom 1-'0 Aor Fig. 1. Moreover, mortar mayor may not be used as desired in connection with` the vjoint formed by the ller strips. yIn the `form shown in Fig. 1, mortar 4is applied in the usual manner so as to ll the` adjacent rebates or recesses 21 f5 formed between the inner and outer :surfaces of the tiles '7,but Figs. 4 and 5 show a jomtr'in which the 'mortar has .been omitted.

One of the principal'diiculties encountered in the use of compressible filler pieces .such as pre- 20 viously used for the purpose described, is that -of insuring a weatherproof jointbetween the blocks and the filler strips, due to unevenness in the .adjacent faces of the blocks, or the uneven compression vor expansion that often `occurs in various 25 areas or Zones of the exterior shell, thereby producing unequal lcompression of the fillers. This may tend to open upthe joints at certain Vpoints so as to permit water to seep through the shell, and it may `also cause `the fillers, or portions of 30 them, to become displaced, either inwardly or outwardly, so as to destroy their effectiveness and, in extreme cases, detracting from Vthe appearance of the building.

In `carrying out my invention, I` provide 4an im- 35 proved form of iiller designed to combine the compressible features heretofore utilized in such devices, with means serving to provide a permarient weatherproof seal for the joint, and

compensating for changes in shape thereof, while 40 I in use. As herein illustrated, said ller piece consists of an elongated strip 20 formed by upper and lower cover layers 23, 24 preferably of non-corrosive metal such as copper or lead, said layers being formed of a single sheet folded along 45 the inner edge and vertically spaced from each other, as shown. A compressible element 25 is interposed between these layers, said element being arranged to withstand normal crushing stresses, but constructed to be attened un- 50 der excessive vertical pressure. In the form shown in Fig. 2, said element consists of a sheet of metal such as copper or lead, corrugated and arranged with its flutes extending lengthwise of the strip. The outer edge of the compressible element 25 is normally disposed at a distance from the free outer margins 23a and 24a of the.

cover layers 23 and 24, respectively, so as to leave a marginal space or recess between the open margins of said layers. Within this space is introduced a quantity of mastic, in the form of a continuous strip 26, extending the full length of the ller piece. The mastic is preferably of a permanently plastic type of waterproof material such as has heretofore been employed for waterproof joints and filling material in many ways, but which, due to its relative plasticity, is not generally practicable for use alone as a substitute for metallic compression joints of the type disclosed herein.

In carrying out the present invention, mastic is applied tothe open edge of my improved form of filler piece so as to produce a novel article of manufacture, in which the mastic is permanently incorporated as a part of the ller piece be`' fore it is applied to the building structure.

The mastic is preferably secured to the adjacent metal surfaces of the ller piece by adhesion, and is normally arranged substantially flush with the margins of the layers 23 and 24.

In the modied form of my improvedl filler piece shown in Fig. 3, the compressible element 25a interposed between the cover layers 23 and 24 consists of a strip of corrugated metal arranged with its flutes extending transversely of the filler strip. A strip of mastic 26a closes the outer or open margins of the cover layers 23 and 24 as before, and extends into engagement with the adjacent utedmargin of the compressible element 25e. v

The use and advantages of my improved form of ller piece will now be more clearly manifest to those skilled in the art. The arrangement is such that the ller strip may be applied in the usual manner between adjacent surfaces of superimposed building blocks as shown in Fig. 4, with its outer edges preferably spaced a slight distance from the outer surfaces of the adjacent blocks 7, 7. Under normal loads the ller strip will only be attened a sufficient amount to extrude a small amount of mastic from between the open edge of the ller piece as shown, which will be sufficient to completely close the space between the blocks, and form a waterproof joint as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. In the event of excessive vertical pressures, the filler piece will be compressed to a greater or less degree so as to compensate for such pressures, but in all cases the mastic portion 26 will be maintained in direct contact with the adjacent surfaces of the insure uniformly successful results.

blocks 7, 7 so as to retain an effective 4seal for the joint, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Among the further advantages of my invention is the arrangement whereby the mastic is applied to the filler piece during the process of manufacture of the latter so as to produce a building element that can be conveniently shipped and handled as a finished unit. This is of especial` advantage due to the diiculties usually encountered when` mastic is applied directly to masonry joints during construction, Where the presence of dust, dirt, cement and the like usually render it almost impossible to insure a tight waterproof seal. With my improved article of manufacture the mastic is applied during the manufacture of the ller piece so as to The mastic can be applied far more conveniently under suitable heat and pressure, and far more care can be afforded in providing clean metallic surfaces to which the mastic is applied, preferably by adhesion, as described.

Although I have illustrated and described certain embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wishrto be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

l. A compressible filler for use as a pressure relieving joint in a wall structure, comprising fiat upper and lower metal layers, and intervening compressible means arranged to sustain a predetermined weght without substantial compression but to be compressed by excessive pressure, said compressible means terminating at a distance from .a lateral margin of said metal layers to form a recess, and mastic mounted within said recess arranged to be partially extruded therefrom when said compressible means is compressed.

2. A compressible ller for use as a pressure relieving joint in a wall structure, comprising flat upper and lower metal layers and intervening compressible means, an undulating metal layer arranged to sustain a predetermined weight without substantial compression but to be compressed by excessive pressure, said undulating layer terminating a substantial distance from a lateral margin of said metal layers to form a recess, and mastic permanently mounted within said recess, arranged to be partially extruded therefrom when said undulating layer is compressed.

PETER MAS'IERSON. 

